My first batch of sauerkraut in my old apartment was a total mess

Honestly, it was about eight years ago in my first place in Toledo. I just chopped up a head of cabbage, shoved it in a jar, and put a plate on top. Three days later, I had brine all over the kitchen counter and a weird smell. A friend who was into brewing came over, took one look, and said, 'You need an airlock, man. It's fermenting, not just sitting.' That was the first time I heard the term 'fermentation station' for a proper setup. I went out and bought a simple airlock lid for a wide-mouth jar, and my next batch was perfect. It went from a sticky mess to something I could actually leave on the counter without worry. Has anyone else had a total beginner fail that made you get the right gear?

3 comments

3 Comments

daniel47415d ago

Honestly, that sounds like a pretty normal first try. A plate on a jar works for a lot of people without any fancy gear. Maybe the cabbage just wasn't packed down tight enough to keep everything under the brine. Getting an airlock is fine, but calling it a "fermentation station" feels a bit extra for just some pickled cabbage.

brooke7679d ago

Remember daniel474's epic pickle overflow last year?

white.blair15d ago

So what's the actual harm in calling it a fermentation station if it makes the process more fun for someone? Seems like getting hung up on the name is missing the point of encouraging people to try new things. If a special lid and a catchy name gets more cabbage successfully fermented, that's a win. The goal is edible food, not a purity contest on how basic your setup can be.